The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Vaccinium corymbosum Linnaeus (blueberry plant) grown as a fruiting woody shrub for commercial agriculture. Blueberries are typically consumed both fresh and in a number of processed products.
The new and distinct variety of blueberry plant (Vaccinium corymbosum Linnaeus) originated from the hand pollinated cross of ‘NC 1406’ (unpatented)×‘Pender’ (unpatented) made in 1980 in Raleigh, N.C.
Seeds from this hand pollination were germinated in winter 1980/1981 in Raleigh, N.C., and 250 seedlings were established at Castle Hayne, N.C., in 1982. When the seedlings reached maturity in 1987, an elite genotype designated as ‘NC 2901’ was selected for its vigorous erect plant habit, productivity, color, picking scar, firmness, quality and late midseason maturity by James R. Ballington. The cross from which ‘NC 2901’ was selected was specifically made with adaptation to mechanical harvesting for fresh market outlets in mind. ‘NC 2901’ also possessed another attribute essential for adaptation to mechanical harvest for the fresh market, small to medium fruit size. Three additional cultivars from this cross were previously released in 2004. These are ‘Craven’ (early ripening) (unpatented), ‘Pamlico’ (early midseason ripening) (unpatented) and ‘Lenoir’ (early midseason to midseason ripening) (unpatented).
During 1988 the original seedling of ‘NC 2901’ was propagated by hardwood stem cuttings at Castle Hayne, N.C., and following rooting, single three plant plots were established at Castle Hayne, Jackson Springs and Fletcher, N.C., in 1989. Based on its performance in these initial trials, in 1996 it was propagated again by hardwood stem cuttings at Castle Hayne and established in replicated trials at Castle Hayne. It was also established in grower trials at Harrells, Ivanhoe, Rocky Point and White Lake, N.C., and at Clarksville, Ark., in 2001, all under Memoranda of Agreements whereby the growers provided the land and care of the plants and North Carolina State University retained ownership of the variety. Plants and fruit of this new variety have remained true to type through these successive cycles of asexual propagation. This new variety has been named the ‘Beaufort’ cultivar.